Cyprus-Forum.com

[SSBubbles]

Any views?


Two years for driver in passenger road death
By Alexia Saoulli

A 32-YEAR-OLD motorist was yesterday jailed for two years for killing one of his passengers when he decided to get behind the wheel nearly five times over the legal drinking limit.

The Romanian man’s licence was also suspended by Judge Tasos Katsikides for three years and he was given 10 points on his licence.

The accident occurred on the evening of January 1, 2008 when the defendant and seven other men had been out celebrating the New Year.

The court heard the defendant had been driving a double cabin pickup on Filias Street in Tseri at around 6.30pm. He had a passenger in the front seat next to him, three in the backseat and three more, one of who was the victim, in the open area at the rear.

According to witnesses minutes before the accident the 32-year-old had been speeding in a zig-zag fashion before losing control of the vehicle and crashing into the gate and fence of one house and then into the fence of another.

The three passengers in the open area of the vehicle were thrown from the car. The victim, Dobre Nicolae also from Romania, was rushed to Nicosia general hospital by a witness who arrived on the scene within minutes. He was pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem later showed he had died after sustaining severe head injuries.

The other two men also sustained injuries, one serious and the second not.

The court heard the defendant, who had come to Cyprus in April 2006 searching for a better life and was working construction, had not slept the day before the accident.

The group had been out celebrating the New Year and had consumed a lot of alcohol when they had decided to drive home. The defendant and victim were roommates, the court heard.

The defence said the 32-year-old had been living with the guilt of killing his friend since the accident occurred. The lawyer also said the victim had chosen to sit in rear area, endangering his own life.

Despite the Romanian man’s clean record, the judge said the severity of the crime was such that did not allow for the sentence to be suspended.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009

[kafenes]

Bubbles, from the title of this thread, I am presuming you think he got away cheaply. I don't think so. It wasn't a premeditated murder and nobody forced the passenger to ride along with him. If the rest of them knew and realised he was so drunk, then they shouldn't have got in the car with him unless they were as drunk as well. The judge also takes in consideration the family status of the convict and doesn't want his family to suffer any longer then they should. I do think though that he should be banned from driving for much longer then what he got cause basically he is only suspended from driving for 1 year as he will be in jail for the first 2. That's my opinion anyway.

[Doratis1980]

the maximum he could get was 4 years for the causing of his passenger death..the court banned his driving licence the to the maximum since the maximum duration is 12 months !